The district administration in North Dinajpur on Sunday extended the Internet ban and prohibitory orders under Section 144 for another 24 hours in Kaliaganj block as a precautionary measure.

Sources said the area had been violence-free for the past couple of days.

Kinshuk Maity, the sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Raiganj, said the prohibitory orders were extended to avoid any attempt to instigate violence.

“No incidents of fresh violence have been reported from Kaliaganj block, but there are reports of attempts to instigate violent activities. Keeping this in view we have extended the prohibitory orders. Internet will remain suspended and Section 144 will be in force across the block till May 1,” the SDO said on Sunday.

On April 25, a mob had torched the Kaliaganj police station, assaulted policemen and civic volunteers and vandalised several homes in Thanapara, the locality surrounding the police station. The incident occurred after a march was taken out by Adivasis and Rajbanshis to protest a 17-year-old girl’s death in the district. The girl’s family had claimed she was raped and murdered, while the police called it suicide by poison. The protest turned violent when the march was stopped by cops from reaching the police station.

Early on Thursday, Mrityunjoy Barman, 33, died allegedly of a police bullet when a team visited Chandga village in Kaliaganj block in search of those involved in the April 25 violence.

On Sunday, an uneasy calm prevailed in areas like Sahebghata, Raghunathpur, Rishipur, Mohonpur and Paloibari of Kaliaganj block. Most shops were closed and only a handful of people were out on the streets, even as police pickets were seen at every junction.

Kalipada Barman, the district secretary of the Adivasi and Rajbanshi Joint Forum, claimed that the police were conducting raids at the houses of “our innocent supporters”. “If need be, we will launch a movement against this,” said Barman.